SHEFFIELD EAGLES 10 LONDON BRONCOS 72
DAN FOWLER, MEPS International Home of Football Stadium, Sunday

LONDON BRONCOS became the first side to win a men’s Rugby League match at Sheffield Eagles’ new home in Dronfield, scoring 13 tries in sun-drenched conditions.

The visitors’ array of overseas internationals know what it’s like to play in high temperatures and they seemed right at home in Derbyshire.

Brandon Webster-Mansfield bagged himself a hat-trick while Morea Morea and Finley Glare both claimed braces.

London opened the scoring after seven minutes, James Meadows cutting through the Sheffield defence and having Luke Smith on his shoulder. Meadows converted, the first of his ten goals.

Sheffield were unlucky not to hit back when Kai Morgan linked up with Kieran Gill, who had the try-line at his mercy but knocked on.

From the subsequent set, London showed no mercy as Gairo Voro’s line ball was met by Elliot Wallis for his first of the afternoon.

It wouldn’t be for the first time in the half as London notched tries in successive sets to extend their lead further.

From a seven-tackle set, they made the possession and territory count with swift hands to the right flank for Webster-Mansfield to go over. 

In the next set, the Broncos went back to the left flank for Neil Tchamambe to burst through and he had a couple of players in support – Webster-Mansfield the chosen one despite the defensive effort of Billy Walkley.

After 24 minutes, it was 24-0, but on the half-hour, Sheffield got their first try at Dronfield.

Secondrower Connor Bower was met with fierce defence but did enough to get the ball out for winger Ryan Millar to cross on his 150th club appearance. Jordan Abdull’s sweetly-struck kick from the touchline gave the home fans more to cheer about.

However London’s quality is undoubted and they finished the half with a flourish.

Wallis completed his brace, aided by quick feet from Voro once more, before Morea supported another clean break to get his first of the day.

With Meadows’ six conversions from as many attempts, it was 36-6 at the break.

London’s professionalism continued in the second half as Glare soon crossed from dummy-half, then Morea and Webster-Mansfield were the beneficiaries of more slick handling from their teammates.

Things got worse for Sheffield on 55 minutes as Alex Foster was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul – bringing a dangerous London attack to a halt by tackling from an offside position.

In the next set, Smith completed his double, Meadows’ ninth conversion making it 58-6.

Either side of the hour came tries for Connor O’Beirne and Tchamambe, Meadows converting one from two, as London kept their foot on the gas.

The 70-point barrier was breached on 67 minutes with Glare completing his double, the nippy hooker a thorn in the hosts’ side throughout the afternoon.

The last word went the way of Sheffield. Fast hands from Abdull and Gill set Walkley away down the left flank, the former Keighley man stepping past Morea before planting the ball down.

GAMESTAR: Gairo Voro. Despite not getting on the scoresheet, he was one of London’s Papua New Guinea stars to shine.

GAMEBREAKER: The Broncos notching back-to-back tries on 21 and 24 minutes extended their lead to four scores and there was no way back for Sheffield.

MATCHFACTS

EAGLES
2 Joe Brown
21 Ryan Millar
19 Will Oakes
4 Kieran Gill
5 Billy Walkley
6 Kai Morgan
27 Jordan Abdull
22 Masi Matongo
17 Harry Bowes
10 Martyn Reilly
11 Connor Bower
3 Josh Hodson
15 George Griffin
Subs (all used)
16 Blake Broadbent
18 Lennie Ellis
20 Lewis Peachey
23 Alex Foster

Tries: Millar (30), Walkley (75)
Goals: Abdull 1/2
Sin bin: Foster (55) – professional foul

BRONCOS
1 Morea Morea
5 Liam Tindall
2 Elliot Wallis
20 Brandon Webster-Mansfield
26 Neil Tchamambe
27 Gairo Voro
18 James Meadows
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
9 Sam Davis
15 Sadiq Adebiyi
21 Will Lovell
11 Luke Smith
13 Siliva Havili
Subs (all used)
6 Connor O’Beirne
10 Emarly Bitungane
14 Finley Glare
19 Ben Hursey-Hord

Tries: Smith (7, 56), Wallis (15, 34), Webster-Mansfield (21, 24, 50), Morea (37, 48), Glare (42, 67), O’Beirne (59), Tchamambe (63)
Goals: Meadows 10/13

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 6-24, 6-30, 6-36; 6-42, 6-48, 6-52, 6-58, 6-64, 6-68, 6-72, 10-72

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Eagles: Masi Matongo; Broncos: Gairo Voro

Penalty count: 3-3
Half-time: 6-36
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 707